Revelation 7:13,14

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

A. John is not willing to risk a wrong guess. “You know.”

B. The answer is given: “These are the ones who have washed their robes, white in the blood of the Lamb.”

C. These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. NOTE: This is not some great event at the end of time. These Christians had already come out of this tribulation.

D. See the notes at the introduction to this chapter on the great tribulation. Our tribulation is our bondage (enslavement) in sin. When we believe and obey the gospel, we come out of that tribulation. We are washed (declared righteous) and sealed (marked and identified) as belonging to God.

Discussion: Great tribulation

1. Some believe this verse speaks of a time after the rapture that a world leader, anti-Christ, will persecute the world. They believe that this will be a 7-year period of time.

2. When do we make our robes white in the blood of the Lamb? We are to put on the robes of righteousness (19:8). If our robes are not white, we are living in a state of sin and following the devil. Acts 22:16 gives instruction to Paul to be baptized “washing away his sins.” When we obey the gospel in baptism, our sins are washed away; we put on the white robe. We are in a state of righteousness. There were some at Sardis that had defiled their garments (3:4). They had gone back to the way of the world.

3. Anyone who leaves the world of sin behind has come out of great tribulation. The great tribulation is the difficult decision we make to leave the world, family, friends, sin and evil and begin a new loyalty to Christ.

4. There is a parallel with Moses leading Israel out of physical tribulation by crossing the Red Sea. Christ leads us out of spiritual tribulation by baptism.

5. Those outside of Christ are in the bondage of sin (Romans 6:13-16). They are slaves to the devil and sin.

6. As people continue to obey the gospel, confess their faith in Jesus, and be baptized into Christ, they are coming out of great tribulation, washing their robes, and added to the church.